Garment



J. BACKLAR Feb. 7, 1961 GARMENT Filed May 4, 1959 INVENTOR. Joseph flack/4r ATTORNEK U i d GARMENT Joseph Backlar, 121 Ward Parkway, Kansas (Zity, Mo.

Filed May 4, 1959, Ser. No. 810,772

3 Claims. (Cl. 128-519) This invention relates to wearing apparel and particularly a garment in the nature of trousers having specially designed and arranged structure for lending support to the abdominal region of the wearer and the primary aim of the invention is to provide such a garment that may be worn with the utmost comfort and without having the supporting function appear obvious to the observer.

Another important aim of this invention is the provision of a garment of the aforementioned character wherein is included a specially formed elastic section at that part of the garment covering the abdomen of the wearer, which elastic section is capable of providing comforting support without the employment of separate parts and unsightly braces, band's, straps or like devices that have heretofore been used for support purposes.

Other important aims of the invention will appear during the course of the following specification referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the garment in the nature of trousers having an elastic section incorporated therein in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1 but with the elastic section swung outwardly and downwardly.

Fig. 3 is a detailed cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the garment taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

A garment constructed as illustrated in the accompanying drawing and which embodies the broad concepts of this invention is capable of supporting the abdominal portion of the wearer while maintaining the tailored appearance of the trousers and while permitting the normal convenient use thereof so far as opening the upper part of the trousers.

While the elastic section designed to provide adequate support for the wearer of the garment may be embodied in garments other than those in the nature of trousers, the section is particularly adapted for use in such garments and therefore trousers are illustrated in the drawing.

The garment is, therefore, in the nature of trousers having an upper portion 12 above and marging with the leg sections 14 of garment 10 and this portion 12 encircles the hips and lower abdomen of the wearer when the garment is donned. The normally upper marginal edge 16 of portion 12 and which constitutes the top of the garment encircles the waist of the wearer and if desired belt loops not shown but which are conventional in character may be employed to carry the usual belt. The elastic section 18 is formed in the hip and abdomen encircling portion 12 and is of such area as to overlie the abdomen of the wearer. Section 18 extends from the waist encircling marginal edge 16 downwardly to a line therebelow and in substantial parallelism therewith. This line 20 is at the crotch of the wearer and extends outwardly and upwardly from crotch 22 which is defined by the meeting lines of the inner portions of legs 14.

The normally vertical ends of elastic section 18 and which define the limits of the extent thereof at the hipbones of the wearer are indicated by the numeral 24 and these lines 24 are free as is the upper portion of the elastic section 18 for the purpose of allowing said section 18 to be dropped downwardly as illustrated in Fig. 2 about the lower line 21 extending horizontally at substantially the crotch of the wearer. A reinforced band of elastic material 26 at the upper marginal edge of panel 18 projects beyond the edges 24 of panel 18 to provide tabs 28 on which are provided fastening means 31) of any suitable type. In the instance illustrated the fastening means 30 are snap fasteners but may be buttons, hooks or any other suitable instrumentality so long as they cooperate with similar means 32 for holding the elastic panel 18 in place and tightly across the abdomen of the wearer to lend support thereto. The lifting support is provided when the panel 18 is in place as shown in Fig. 1 and to prevent wrinkling of this panel 18 there is provided therein a number of stays 31, one of which should be at substantially the central portion of elastic section 18.

Elastic panel 18 may be divided on its medial vertical line by a slit 33 and at the marginal edges of the material from which elastic section 18 is constructed and at the slit a hookless fastener 34 may be provided to perform the usual functions of an opening at the front of the trousers.

The remaining portion of the garment 11 other than elastic section 18 is of usual fabric and not elastic. The portion 12 which encircles the hip and abdominal portion of the wearer terminates at lines spaced inwardly from lines 24 of elastic section 18 and when section 18 is in place as shown in Fig. l a part of portion 12 is overlapped by the marginal vertical portions of section 18. Thus no part of the garment overlies the abdomen of the wearer other than the elastic section 18 and its full function is appreciated and utilized when fastening means 30 and 32 are in operation. Stays 31, as shown in Fig. 1, extend.

upwardly and outwardly from line 20 and these stays are positioned within tubular portions 35 formed in section 18 as shown in Fig. 4.

The manner of constructing elastic section 18 may be varied but it is desired that the same be woven as a part of the cloth from. which the garment is formed. Elastic threads are woven into that section in such manner as may be desired and that is conventional and in so constructing the garment no separate parts are presented and no distinct lines of demarcation are presented to create an objectionable appearance and uncomfortable reactions due to seams or the like. On the other hand, elastic section 18 may be otherwise built into the garment so long as it performs the function contemplated by the broader ob jects of this invention.

Only that form of the garment illustrated in the draw ing has been described above, but since the concepts may be built into garments having physical characteristics other than that shown in the drawing, it is desired to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. For example, the elastic section 18 may be different form, broken down into small areas and located Where desired.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A garment in the nature of trousers with a conventional crotch and having a hip and lower abdomen en circling portion with a marginal edge encircling the waist of the wearer, a polygonal, elastic section formed in said abdomen portion and integral therewith along a line proximal to said crotch and substantially parallel with said marginal edge, said section having an upper edge and opposed sides being separable from said portion permitting said section to be swingable about said line, said upper edge being proximal to said marginal edge and said sides beingproximal to the hipbone regions of the wearer; and means on said edges for releasably securing said section to said portion, which means when released permits downward swinging of the section about said line, said section being held taut when secured in place to lend support to the abdomen of the wearer.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein is provided a plurality of stays in said section extending between said upper edge and said line.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the elastic section is centrally slit from said upper edge to said line,

there being means at said slit for separably securing together the edges formed by said slit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 280,232 Parker June 26, 1883 1,959,311 Tubbs May 15, 1932 2,112,893 Harwood Apr. 5, 1938 2,361,902 Sherman Oct. 31, 1944 2,663,025 Isaac Dec. 22, 1953 2,719,302 Cooperman Oct. 4, 1955 2,736,036 Sinigagliesi Feb. 28, 1956 

